Temple Trip #1

Hey everyone!

This is going to be a bit short, but our P-Day is really messed up for Halloween. It's been such a great week right before we head into a new transfer. Elder Martinez and I were able close off this week by going to the Philadelphia temple! It was great being able to go with so many of our recent converts who went for the first time. Being inside the Temple was just incredible. It was absolutely still and peaceful, you could just tell you were in the house of the Lord. It was special just to see everyone so bright and happy doing the baptisms. We also found out that Elder Martinez will be leaving and I will be taking over Reading for the next transfer. I can't wait for tomorrow! A new transfer with a good number of new Elders! I'm so grateful for the Gospel, I know it is true and I'm so thankful I am a part of it. I hope you all have a great Halloween!

Elder Cortes

Reading, PA

A Week of Memories in the Mission

Hey everybody! 

It's been an incredible week. I have learned so much and over and over the Spirit testifies to me that the work is true. As the leaves change color on the East Coast, so does my mission. Probably the biggest blessing I have seen is Heavenly Father's love for me and for His children we are working with. 

You see it in the small things everyday, on just how the Lord supports and sustains us. It's incredible what blessings do come as you are obedient and doing the Lord's will. Saturday was the highlight of the week. We had 3 baptisms in the morning, Keishla Colon, Debbie Ledford, and Dominick Murphy. All of them have very different backgrounds, but all of them are just so changed by the Gospel. It's just incredible. We also had Elder Lynn G Robbins speak to us later that day as a mission. He was incredible. To see a general authority in person was amazing. He taught me a lot on how to be a successful missionary, to be a great companion, and to continually build my faith in Jesus Christ. We sang so many songs as a mission, especially the mission hymn, and to sing it as a mission for the first time for me, I just felt so much love and comfort from Heavenly Father. It was incredible, all of it. I just feel so blessed to be exposed to so much that a lot of the world doesn't really see much. I consider my family and the Gospel and how I truly know I can be happy, and how I can help others be happy as well. 

But with all that in mind, I'm moving forward to becoming someone better! This is the last week of the transfer, so probably my last week with Elder Martinez! I'm just thankful for him and what he stands for. He's really opened my eyes and helped me in so many ways. I love him and I love you all. May the Lord bless you as you change for the better.

Elder Cortes

Reading, PA

Strengthen Thy Brethren

Hey everybody!

It's been another great week here in the beautiful PPM. So much to tell and not enough time. But I will certainly do my best.

Tuesday we had Zone Conference and it was a blast. President Randall wanted a Zone Leader to conduct the meeting rather than the Assistants and I just happened to be picked to do it. It was pretty...different conducting the meeting but I had so much fun with it. What stuck out the most to me was the dying testimonies that were borne that day for the missionaries going home the next two transfers.  Missionaries like Elder Davenport, Elder Weisler, Elder Holden, and Elder Crane, such great examples to me, just touched my heart with their love of their missions and their change they have experienced. It just motivated me to be better and to continue to be that disciple of Christ other need in their lives. These missionaries have trained, taught, and loved me. They have helped me see how I can come closer to Christ through their example. One of my favorite things about the mission is the friendship and the brotherhood that is founded here in the PPM. I don't know how many missionaries I will keep in touch after my mission, but their friendship for me will last throughout the eternities. It was a pretty emotional meeting for me, but I'm so grateful, I experienced it.

We also found so many new investigators we were able to set with baptismal dates. We found four people from part member families and their excitement to accept baptism and to make a change in their life was just amazing. I felt the Spirit so strong every time they accepted to be baptized. We also have four baptisms coming up which I am so excited for this Saturday. It's not even about saying I have four baptisms, but the work we put into these people and how they have progress is such a testimony builder to me that the Gospel is true. I'm so grateful for my mission, I have learned more than I ever thought I would and it hasn't stopped yet. God truly is good to all of us. May we always be grateful to him.

Elder Cortes

Reading, PA

The Reading Roller Coaster

Hey everyone!

It's been such a busy week here in the one and only city of Reading. We laughed, we cried, we saw miracles. So pretty much the usual here in the mission field.

It was actually pretty interesting, Elder Martinez got sick two weeks ago which made us move an exchange. So we had three back to back exchanges and I happened to leave the area each time. I went to north Reading, Pottsville, and Pottstown. With such incredible missionaries. I first went with Elder Weisler and Elder Holden since they are in a trio. They are two of the oldest missionaries in the mission and I was so blessed to learn from these two seasoned missionaries. I also went with an Elder named Elder Crane in Pottstown who is also another old missionary. Probably the most loving man I have ever met. It was incredible, I learned so much about charity just by being with Elder Crane for a day. I loved it!

We also had Zone Training on Thursday, which was pretty exciting. President Randall was there and gave incredible comments. Since it was my second one, I had a few rolls off the tongue, but it is amazing how the Spirit just works through your weaknesses. It was one of the best Zone Trainings I was a part of. Elder Weisler gave his dying testimony and I was just bawling when we sang the mission hymn. It was incredible!

We also found two brand new people to set with baptismal dates. One was from a recent convert family and the other was from a less active. We are just so blessed with the Lord providing everyday. Probably one of the  best traits of Elder Martinez is his confidence in the Lord providing people for us to teach. I have not seen it so strong in a missionary like him. It is incredible. 

I'm so grateful to be here in Reading, miracles are happening left and right. I definitely won't forget my time here that's for sure! I love my mission, I love the Lord. I'm so thankful He has made it possible for me to be here now. I humbly pray and hope all of us may make the most of where we are in our lives. There is always a blessing, always!

Elder Cortes

Reading, PA

The 2 Mexicans That Can't Speak Spanish

Hey everyone!

It's been such a blast, so much that I didn't even send my weekly last week... That's my bad, it was a lot to do my first week in Reading. It's been so busy, probably my busiest area I have had on my mission. It is just nonstop appointments and picking up members. But I'm getting used to it.

My companion is Elder Martinez! He's from San Bernardino, California and has been out 18 months. He's such a great missionary. He has probably the most fire I have seen for the work. If he is in the zone you best get out of the way. He's also Mexican, but ironically, he does not speak a lick of Spanish. I'm glad I'm not the only one! It's been good though, we have had many good talks and learned a ton from each other.

Reading is so great! It was the Zone Leader area when I was in Kutztown so to be in the area with all the missionaries I look up to is so exciting. We are teaching a good number of people who are planning on being baptized this coming month. We already had a baptism my first weekend here which was pretty cool to walk into. Her name is Melissa who is such a solid member. All she wants to do is to be a better example for her family and teach the Gospel to her family. I can't wait for her to get to the temple. We also had MLC which was incredible, seeing my good friends and President Randall was incredible. The Spirit of unity was there, I was just so grateful to be a part of it.

What's super cool this week was that we had General Conference! I'm grateful for such incredible leaders in the church. The Prophet and Apostles just taught with such power and authority, you knew what they said was true. I'm grateful for a Heavenly Father who blessed me with answers to questions in my heart through his servants. I'm especially grateful for President Thomas S Monson, who had so much courage to teach on the Plan of Salvation. Truly I'm grateful for my mission. It's such a great time to serve. I'm changing everyday and I'm so thankful for Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. It's a scary thought to think I only have about 9 months left. But I'm definitely going to make the most of it. I hope all of you have a great week!

Elder Cortes

Reading, PA